Automatic fire-extinguisher



(No Model.)

0. BARNES.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

No. 824,977 Patented Aug. 25, 1885.

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Darren STATES ATENT tries.

CHARLES BARNES, OF DAYTON, KENTUCKY.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

'5PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,977, dated August 25,1885.

Application tiled June 13. 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Bananas, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Dayton, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Il'llPlOVCll'lOlliS in Automatic Fire-EX- tinguishcrs, of which the following is a speei flcation.

My invention is an improved distributor for automatic ii re extinguishers. Its object is an inexpensive device that requires but little skill in fitting the parts together, and while being more sensitive to heat than those in common use is not liable to be released aecidentally or by any pressure brought to bear upon its valve until the temperature of the room or other position where it is placed is raised to a certain degree by heat occasioned by iire, and when the temperature is raised will be certain in its action.

The invention will be first fully described in connection with the accon'ipanying drawi ngs,and its novel features particularly pointed out and referred to in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are represented by similar referenceletters wherever they occur throughout the various views, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved distributor held in the closed position. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same. Fig. 3 represents in side elevation the several parts of the distributer detached from each other. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the same, looking down upon the top.

The frame A, within and upon which the operative parts of the distributor are mounted, consists of a light metal casting. It has a ring, a, which has an interior screw-thread to receive the tube This tube has, about its mid-length, an angularwrenchseat, b. The portions upon each side of the wrench-seat are externallyscrew-threaded. The screw-threaded portion upon one side secures the tube to the frame A, and the screw threaded portion on the opposite side of the wrench-seat bis for attaching the distributor to the end of the discharge pipe. The valve fits within the end of the pipe B. Within the frame A the inner edge is beveled to form a seat for the conical valve 0. The straight portion 0 fits the inner bore of tube B as a piston. The valve-stem 0 passes into a perforated boss, a,

(No model.)

in the upper portion of the frame A, and the valve is held to its seat firmly by a set-screw, (Z, which passes through a boss in the releasing device D. This releasinglever has a detent, d, to engage under a hook, a and it has also lugs d" projecting down from the opposite end at each side to straddle the arm a of the frame A. The lugs d are perforated to receive a fusible pin, 0, which passes through the lugs and under the hooked end of the arm a". The piece D has also lugs d, which pass upon each side of the frame A to steady the piece D in position.

The distributor O, which is east in the same piece with the valve and valve-stem, is dished out on the under side, leaving a flaring rim or flange that spreads the water in a thin sheet when the valve is released from its seat and thrown by the force of the water up against the upper arm of the frame A. The upper side of this distributor O is also concave from the rim into the valve-stem 0 for the purpose of lightness. It will be noticed that the portion of the valve-stem nearest the distributor is enlarged to stop against the upper arm of the frame when the valve is thrown open, and in some cases the under side of the distributor is made with eceeutrical flanges, so that the force of the water will give it a rotary motion, the valve-stem serving as the axis on which it rotates.

In fitting the valve together it is only necessary to first insert the valve-stem 0' through the boss to, then secure the piece 13 into the ring a, place the piece'D in position on the frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, pass the fusible pin 6 through the openings in the lugs d and tighten the valve to its seat by means of the set-screw d. It will be seen that the fusible pin, or at least the portion of it that passes under the hooked end of arm a, is entirely exposed, so that it wiil be readily melted in case of tire. \Vhen it is melted, the force of the water passing through the pipe 13 will throw the valve from its seat; but by reason of the straight or piston part o no water will be discharged until the portion 0 of the valve leaves the pipe B. By this time the arm D is thrown entirely from the frame A, so that there is no danger of the water striking the fusible pin and preventing the complete opening of the valve.

It is evident that the set-screw d may be dispensed with and the valvestem made to bear directly upon the arm D. In this case the portion of the tube above the wrench-seat or the valve-stem should be made longer than shown, so that the valve-seat can be tightened up against the valve, instead of tightening the valve down upon its seat by the set-screw; but I prefer the form shown, as the parts can be more conveniently secured together, and by the thumb-screw d the valve can be securely seated without danger of subjecting the pin 6 to unnecessary strain.

It would be an inferior modification of my invention to widen the end of the arm a and perforate it, so that the pin 6 would pass through the lugs d and this perforation, or to unite the ends of arm a and the adjacent end of the releasing device D by a fusible solderjoint. 7

\Yhen the fusible connection is released by heat, the distributer O is thrown and held against the upper cross-bar of the frame A by the force of the water discharged through tube B. It is therefore evident the full effect of the distributer in use would be attained if it were cast as a part of the frame and vertically above the discharge-opening and the valvestem 0 made to slide through it; but it would be more expensive to make it this way.

WVhat I claim is 1. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination of the frame A, having ring a, perforated boss a, hook a and arm a the screw-threaded tube B, secured in the ring a of the said frame, the valve, and distributer 0, adapted to slide within said frame and close the end of tube B, and the releasing device D, having its short arm loosely coupled to said frame and its longer arm coupled to the end of the arm a by fusible material to hold said valve to its seat until released by heat, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an automatic fireextinguisher, the combination, substantially as set forth, of tube B, having seat I), the frame A a a a a, and releasing device D d d d with the valve and distributer O c c 0 and fusible pin 6.

CHARLES BARNES.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. J. hIURRAY, O. W. MILEs. 

